Container



Dec. 12 1967 E. MICHELITSCH CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 29, 1966 INVENTOB MbC/ZGZZ tsc/z Erwin ATTORNEY Dec. 12, "96? E. MICHELITSCH CONTAINER Filed Nov.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,357,630 CONTAINER Erwin Michelitsch, New Hyde Park, N.Y., assignor to 911!!! Krauss, ind, Jamaica, N.Y., a corporation of New or Filed Nov. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 597,589 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-45) This invention relates to containers and the like and particularly to locking devices therefor.

In general, the new and improved container contemplated by the invention includes a hinged top cover having a foldable side flap, the flap being slotted. The flap is foldable within the container and is contiguous with the front side wall of the container which provides a second hinged extension member. The latter is inserted through the slot in the flap and, being intermediately foldable, underlies the cover in locked position. An important feature of the invention is the means for holding the extension member in the slot of the flap to keep the cover closed but which permits easy access to the holding means when it is desired to raise the cover. This is achieved by providing an enlarged cut-out in the cover to form a tab which is inserted through a slot in the extension member within the container. On opening the container, a finger is inserted through the cut-out and pushes on the free end of the extension member. The force of this action causes the locking tab to pivot on its hinged connection to the cover as it is withdrawn from its locking position. When the member is free of the slot in the side flap, the cover may be raised. The combination of features and functions deriving therefrom is an improvement of that shown in US. Patent No. 587,836.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved container having a closure which can be locked by means of elements integrally associated with the structural members of the container.

Other objects and advantages of the invention may be appreciated on reading the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof which is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the various cover locking components in the container;

FIG. 2 is a detail view of the locking components in cover retaining position;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail view showing the locking components at the start of the process of being moved from cover retaining position;

FIG. 5 shows the position of the components at a subsequent stage of the unlocking process; and

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the container 6 comprises end walls 8 and 10, side walls 12 and 14 connecting said end walls on opposing side edges thereof and a bottom closure (not shown).

Top cover 16 is connected to side wall 12 on hinge line a to form the principal closure member at the top of the container. The cover 16 is provided with a flap extension 18 adapted to be folded on fold line b to underlie side wall 14 inside the container. A retaining member 20 which in closure lock position extends through a slot 22 in the flap extension 18 is connected to the wall 14 on hinge line c. The member 20 is folda-ble on fold line d and approximate its free end has a slot 21 formed therein. A detent latch 26 is struck out of the cover 16 and in locking position extends through the slot 21 within the container being foldable on line e for this purpose. End covers 28 and 30' integrally extend from the end wall 8 and 10, respectively, being folded to underlie the cover 16 when the container is closed.

In order to open the container, it is necessary to insert a finger through enlarged aperture 32 in the cover and push on the end of the cover retaining member 20- causing it to be removed from the slot 22 in the flap extension as the detent latch is pivoted in the direction of side wall 14, see FIG. 4. When so removed, the cover 16 may be lifted and access is thereby afforded into the container.

Various modifications of the invention may be elfected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope and principle thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A container including opposing end walls and opposing side walls connected thereto, and top closure means, said top closure means including a top cover hingedly connected to the top edge of one of said side walls and extending the full width of said end walls, a flap member hingedly connected to the free side edge of said cover and having a slot therein, an extension member hingedly connected to the top edge of the other of said side walls whereby said cover is retained in closed position by said extension member the latter being flush with the other side wall, said extension imember extending through the slot in said flap member, the latter member being folded into the container, said cover having a locking element formed from and hingedly connected thereto, said locking element extending through the slot in said extension member when in locking position thereby providing a finger slot in said cover, the locking element being adapted to pivot within the container as said extension member is pushed outwardly through the slot in said flap to open the container.

2. A container including opposing end walls and opposing side walls connected thereto, and top closure means, said top closure means including a top cover hingedly connected to the top edge of one of said side walls and extending the full width of said end wall, a flap rnember hingedly connected to the free side edge of said cover and having a slot therein, an extension member hingedly connected to the top edge of the other of said side walls and having a second slot therein, said extension member extending through the slot in said flap member, the latter member being folded into the container, said cover having a locking element formed from and hingedly connected thereto, said locking element extending through the slot in said extension member when in locking position thereby providing a finger slot in said cover to pivot within the container as said extension member is pushed outwardly through the slot in said flap to open the container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,331,754 10/ 1943 Wohlers 229-45 2,361,124 10/1944 Ringholz 22945 3,233,818 2/1966 Bixler et a]. 229--45 DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner. R. PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER INCLUDING OPPOSING END WALLS AND OPPOSING SIDE WALLS CONNECTED THERETO, AND TOP CLOSURE MEANS, SAID TOP CLOSURE MEANS INCLUDING A TOP COVER HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE TOP EDGE OF ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND EXTENDING THE FULL WIDTH OF SAID END WALLS, A FLAP MEMBER HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE FREE SIDE EDGE OF SAID COVER AND HAVING A SLOT THEREIN, AN EXTENSION MEMBER HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE TOP EDGE OF THE OTHER OF SAID SIDE WALLS WHEREBY SAID COVER IS RETAINED IN CLOSED POSITION BY SAID EXTENSION MEMBER THE LATTER BEING FLUSH WITH THE OTHER SIDE WALL, SAID EXTENSION MEMBER EXTENDING THROUGH THE SLOT IN SAID FLAP MEMBER, THE LATTER MEMBER BEING FOLDED INTO THE CONTAINER, SAID COVER HAVING A LOCKING ELEMENT FORMED FROM AND HINGEDLY CONNECTED THERETO, SAID LOCKING ELEMENT EXTENDING THROUGH THE SLOT IN SAID EXTENSION MEMBER WHEN IN LOCKING POSITION THEREBY PROVIDING A FINGER SLOT IN SAID COVER, THE LOCKING ELEMENT BEING ADAPTED TO PIVOT WITHIN THE CONTAINER AS SAID EXTENSION MEMBER IS PUSHED OUTWARDLY THROUGH THE SLOT IN SAID FLAP TO OPEN THE CONTAINER. 